Eid Shopping Slump: Kashmir's Markets Feel the Pinch

Markets across the Kashmir valley looked lacklustre, with the usual bustle ahead of Eid-ul-Azha greatly subdued as traders claimed sales were down by around 60 per cent.

Markets around the Lal Chowk esplanade -- Srinagar's commercial hub -- are witnessing a lull in sales, with customers reluctant to come out in numbers for Eid shopping, traders said.

''Sales are sluggish, around 60-70 per cent down from what it used to be,'' Lal Chowk Traders Association vice-president Suhail Shah told PTI.

He said the market, otherwise vibrant at this time of the year due to the Eid rush, appeared rather mundane this year.

Bakeries, confectioneries, readymade garment and crockery stores, which see heavy customer footfall before Eid, are seeing a significant drop in sales, he added.

Shah said the sales are driven by government employees and the salaried class. However, the government had not released salaries ahead of the festival, reducing their purchasing ability.

The sales of sacrificial animals were also low this year compared to previous years.

Sheep and goats worth crores are sacrificed on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

''The rates of sacrificial animals are very high this time, and the purchasing power of people has reduced. People are also wary of the current economic situation globally. That's why there is not much activity in the Eid markets,'' Mushtaq Ahmad, a shopper, said.

In view of the festival, traffic police personnel have been deployed in strength in Srinagar and other district headquarters to manage the movement.

(With inputs from agencies.)